Locke’s Vacation Was Fun, But …

Seattle Gov. Gary Locke says he enjoyed his California vacation despite breaking a bone in his right shoulder in a skiing accident.

Locke returned home Monday, stepping off a plane at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport with his right arm in a sling. He was accompanied by his wife, Mona Lee Locke, and their infant daughter, Emily.

The governor broke a bone after taking a tumble Friday afternoon at the Sierra-at-Tahoe ski area in South Lake Tahoe. He was skiing with his wife and a Washington State Patrol trooper when he fell on his shoulder.

“The edge of the ski caught something and I went tumbling down the hill kinda head first and landed on the shoulder and on my face,” Locke recalled. “It was pretty painful, pretty painful.”

The Lockes said that despite the mishap, the vacation, which included a trip to the Rose Bowl, was fun overall.

The governor, who is right-handed, will have to keep his right arm immobilized for the next few weeks. He said he can still write, so his work shouldn’t be impacted.

Locke also said he can still hold Emily in his good arm.